Rattled: When New Parenthood Shakes You

What if you don’t feel that immediate rush of love after your baby is born? In this episode, Dr. Becky sits down with writer and mom Ruthie Ackerman to talk about something many parents experience—but almost no one says out loud: what if the bond doesn’t come right away? Ruthie shares what those early weeks actually felt like for her—watching her husband connect easily with their baby while she wondered, Will I ever feel this? She opens up about the quiet fears, the self-doubt, and the stories she told herself about what it meant. Together, they unpack: Why bonding doesn’t always happen instantly (and why that’s more common than you think) How anxiety and expectation can make it harder to feel what’s already there The pressure of “natural” parenting—and what happens when things don’t feel natural at all How connection can build slowly, in small, everyday moments This conversation is a reminder that there is no single “right” way to become a parent—and no timeline your feelings have to follow. Ruthie Ackerman's book is called The Mother Code: My Story of Love, Loss, and the Myths That Shape Us. Learn more about Good Inside Baby.  Thank you to our partners for making this episode possible: Pipette: Get 15% off Pipette’s line of SPF products with the code GOODINSIDESPF at pipettebaby.com Airbnb: Host your home or book your next stay on Airbnb Coterie: Get 20% off with the code GOODINSIDEBABY20 Once Upon a Farm: Use the code GOODINSIDE for 40% off your first subscription Learn more about Good Inside.Follow Dr. Becky on Instagram. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the early days of new parenthood, there are moments no one really prepares you for. For Dr. Becky, it was 4pm. Every day, as the light started to fade, a wave of dread would roll in—heavy, confusing, and hard to name. Along with a thought that felt even harder: “I can’t do this.” In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Becky shares her own early postpartum experience—the identity shift, the crash from “I can handle anything” to something entirely different, and the quiet reframe she wishes she had back then. If you’ve ever had a moment that made you question everything, you’re not the only one. And what feels forever… isn’t. Learn more about Good Inside Baby. Thank you to our partners for making this episode possible:  - Once Upon a Farm: Use the code GOODINSIDE for 40% off your first subscription  - LMNT: Get a free 8-count sample pack with your purchase at LMNT.com/goodinside  - Airbnb: Host your home or book your next stay on Airbnb Learn more about Good Inside.Follow Dr. Becky on Instagram. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Caro Chambers, writer, chef, and author of What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking and a mom of four, shares candid tales from early parenthood. She recounts the 6:30 a.m. moment that flipped her world. Short takes on postpartum shock, hyper-vigilance, partner tensions, and the slow wisdom of learning to let things be.

What if I hurt my baby? If this question has ever run through your head — even once — you are not the only one. Dr. Becky sits with writer, executive coach, and mom Leah Smart, who opens up about living with perinatal anxiety and the intrusive thoughts she didn't know had a name. They unpack what intrusive thoughts actually are, why they happen, and the reframe that changed everything for Leah: your fears are almost always about what you love most. Plus, a therapist assignment she almost couldn't bring herself to follow through on, a laundry moment she'll never forget, and why getting help isn't about how bad things have to get first. Rattled is a new podcast from Good Inside, made for the third trimester, the foggy newborn weeks, and the thoughts new parents don't say out loud. Each episode starts with one of those thoughts — and ends with you feeling a little less alone. Thank you to our partners for making this episode of Good Inside possible!  - Pipette: Get 15% off Pipette’s line of SPF products with the code GOODINSIDESPF at pipettebaby.com  - Airbnb: Host your home or book your next stay (and get groceries delivered!) on Airbnb  - LMNT: Get a free sample pack at drinkLMNT.com/goodinside Learn more about Good Inside Baby.  Learn more about Good Inside.Follow Dr. Becky on Instagram. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“Rattled” is a podcast about the moments when new parenthood shakes you. It’s for new, expecting, and first-time parents navigating pregnancy, postpartum, and life with a newborn — parents who are second-guessing themselves, their choices, and their identity. In each episode, Dr. Becky and the Good Inside team will slow things down, tackle one honest yet difficult question, and hear from listeners about the emotional reality of the transition into parenthood. Learn more about Good Inside.  Follow Dr. Becky on Instagram. Learn more about Good Inside.Follow Dr. Becky on Instagram. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.